To Clone or Not to Clone
Although it is historically known by scientists all over the world that cloning is originally a thing of nature, July 5, 1996 is a day recorded in history that many will never forget. On that day, at approximately 5:00 p.m., a sheep named Dolly entered the world. Dolly was a genetically engineered clone from the cells of an adult six-year old sheep. The process, known as nuclear transplantation, was created by a team of scientists led by Dr. Ian Wilmut at Roslin Institute in Roslin, Scotland. Dolly was indeed a miracle that would possibly open the scientific doors to human cloning and advances in medicine and biological research.
Contrary to popular belief, cloning has been in existence prior to God’s creation of man. It all began thousands of years ago with many organisms of nature through a process known as asexual reproduction. However, by the late 20th century, scientists developed a method to manipulate an organism’s deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), known as genetic engineering. This development led to the birth of animal clones and many ethical issues to follow.
Cloning is defined as “a form of genetic engineering in which the DNA of a person, animal, plant, or even bacterium is used to produce a perfect or near-perfect genetic replica of the original” (Stanley, 2000a, p. 7). As stated earlier in the text, the history of cloning dates back many years ago. According to Encarta On-line Encyclopedia (2003), organisms—such as bacteria—reproduced asexually through a process known as fission. Various forms of yeasts would reproduce via bumps that would grow on the parent cell. These bumps would eventually receive a copy of the parent’s DNA and separate from the parent as a clone. Additionally, fruit-bearing plants—such as strawberries and various forms of grasses—would replicate themselves through their own stems that grew above ground. Man began to clone plants by taking “a cutting from one plant and placing it in a medium, such as earth or water, in
Contrary to popular belief, cloning has been in existence prior to God’s creation of man. It all began thousands of years ago with many organisms of nature through a process known as asexual reproduction. However, by the late 20th century, scientists developed a method to manipulate an organism’s deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), known as genetic engineering. This development led to the birth of animal clones and many ethical issues to follow.
Cloning is defined as “a form of genetic engineering in which the DNA of a person, animal, plant, or even bacterium is used to produce a perfect or near-perfect genetic replica of the original” (Stanley, 2000a, p. 7). As stated earlier in the text, the history of cloning dates back many years ago. According to Encarta On-line Encyclopedia (2003), organisms—such as bacteria—reproduced asexually through a process known as fission. Various forms of yeasts would reproduce via bumps that would grow on the parent cell. These bumps would eventually receive a copy of the parent’s DNA and separate from the parent as a clone. Additionally, fruit-bearing plants—such as strawberries and various forms of grasses—would replicate themselves through their own stems that grew above ground. Man began to clone plants by taking “a cutting from one plant and placing it in a medium, such as earth or water, in
References: Gillis, J - Ailing Dolly, First Cloned Animal, is Euthanized; The Washington Post. New York: The Washington Post Company, 2003 Goodnough D - The Debate over Human Cloning: A Pro/Con Issue. Enslow Publishers, Inc., 2003. Kolata, G-Clone: The Road to Dolly and the Path Ahead, York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1998 Microsoft Corporation - Cloning: Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2003, Stanley, D - Genetic Engineering: The Cloning Debate. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2000